The Patriots’ rookie class has already delivered enough to make this summer feel promising, but cutdown day is about to separate the players who are trending up from the ones still fighting to survive. New England has to get to 53 players this weekend, and a few of its 2025 draft picks are sitting in uncomfortable spots as that deadline arrives.
Caleb Lomu and Eli Raridon are among the rookies expected to have chances in regular-season spurts, but three other selections are clearly on the bubble. Their paths to the roster are getting tighter by the day.
One of the most intriguing names is Obiazor. He brings value in a few different areas, with work on defense, ability against the pass and special teams experience. That versatility matters, but it may not be enough when other players at the position have made a louder impression in camp.
Chad Muma, K.J. Britt and undrafted rookie Khalil Jacobs have all been getting more second-string defensive reps, which leaves Obiazor in a tricky spot.
The TCU rookie did log 39 defensive snaps and 14 special team snaps against the Cleveland Browns, but that might not be enough to overcome the numbers game. A practice squad return would make sense, giving him a chance to keep developing as a stand up linebacker and continue building his special teams value.
Miller is in a different kind of fight, but the result could be the same. He opened the preseason against the Indianapolis Colts as the top back out of the backfield, yet those opportunities have since shifted toward Lan Larison and Hassan Haskins, with JaMycal Hasty also in the mix.
The Alabama rookie’s case took another hit when he got banged up in the team’s final training camp practice of the summer, which kept him out of the preseason loss in Cleveland. That kind of setback matters this late in the process. Miller has made real progress as both a runner and a receiver, but Larison and Haskins look further along right now.
Then there’s Hutchins, who has turned a slow start into something much more encouraging. The Boston College rookie made a big play against the Philadelphia Eagles, stripping Cole Payton to seal the win, and his role has grown in recent weeks.
Hutchins has also started picking up more first-team defensive reps in an edge room that remains hard to sort out. Harold Landry is still on the PUP list with a knee injury, while second round rookie Gabe Jacas appears to be a step behind. That gives Hutchins a real opening, even with Dre’Mont Jones, Elijah Ponder and Bradyn Swinson also in the picture.
For now, though, Hutchins is still squarely on the bubble. If he gets through waivers, the practice squad looks like the most likely landing spot.
In Other News...
Patriots May Have Found Their Next Tight End Sooner Than Expected
Hunter Henry has seen enough young players come through training camp to know when one is making a steady impression, and rookie Eli Raridon appears to be doing exactly that. The veteran tight end singled out Raridon for his effort, his eagerness to learn and the way he has grown throughout camp, a promising sign for a Patriots offense that has been looking for more help at the position.
Raridons appeal seems to start with the parts that usually earn trust first: blocking and being a dependable checkdown option when the play breaks down. He is still working through the areas that can slow a rookies rise, especially athleticism and explosiveness, which is why the Patriots are expected to bring him along gradually. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is likely to lean on him more as a blocker early in the season, giving New England a useful piece while the rest of his game develops. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Running Back Shakeup Leaves One Newcomer In The Spotlight
The Patriots backfield got a late trim before the NFLs 53-man roster deadline, with New England parting ways with Hassan Haskins and JaMycal Hasty after bringing in Corey Kiner from the Arizona Cardinals. Both Haskins and Hasty had arrived ahead of the preseason and took part in the finale, but the numbers game at running back shifted once the new addition came aboard.
For a roster that has been sorting through depth behind its top options, the move leaves Kiner in a more visible spot as New England pares down the competition. It also underscores how fluid the position has been all summer, with the Patriots continuing to reshuffle the mix while trying to settle on the group they want carrying into the season. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots May Need A Veteran Fix For A Growing Defensive Concern
The Patriots are already running into the kind of depth questions that tend to linger into camp, with their linebacker and pass-rushing group looking thinner than expected before the season even gets rolling. Harold Landry is sidelined, other key defenders are unavailable, and the result is a defense that suddenly has to lean hard on its remaining healthy options while the staff figures out how to keep the front seven from looking stretched too thin.
Bobby Wagner has naturally surfaced as a name to watch, and it makes sense from New Englands perspective. He is still a free agent after a productive season with the Commanders, and his rsum brings the kind of experience and leadership that can steady a defense in a hurry. The question is whether the Patriots are comfortable with the age and offseason-trainin
g concerns that come with a veteran fix, or whether they decide to ride out the uncertainty a little longer. [Read more 🡒]